1979 Mercedes 450 SLC
Discussion
TR4man said:
What a great use of the word “agnostic”!
I've probably misused it!CharlesdeGaulle said:
I think the rear window mechanism can be fragile. My electric rears both work but, as so many ageing things do, need a helping hand to fully rise to complete the job expected of them.
Saucy! That's exactly why I wouldn't convert to electric - I can easily see the whole thing permanently jamming up without my gossamer fingers guiding the process.I see there are a few on Ebay at the moment. Will be interesting to see what they go for, although I am of the opinion the best way to sell an SLC would be to park it up in Chelsea for a few weeks with a sign in the window.
Nice colour: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-BENZ-450SLC-C1...
Strong money but doubtless in very fine condition: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-BENZ-C107-280S...
Edited by paulyv on Thursday 27th August 13:12
Here's a technical problem someone might be able to chip in about.
The SLC has a glass feature by the C-pillar which is double glazed and sealed.
A lovely feature but it's generally well-known that these are a pig to remove, let alone pull apart to clean inside, which is why you see quite a few of these cars with flaking on the metal louvres inside the glass. Mine are in pretty good condition but one of them has a small amount of green mold in one corner which I'd like to attend to. You can just about see it in the picture above.
Given I don't want to remove these if I can possibly avoid it I think I have two options. Firstly a strong UV light pointing at the offending area for some time. The minus of this is that the glass will absorb most of the UV-C rays, perhaps more so as my car supposedly has UV-resistant glass as an option as it came from South Africa. My second idea is to use a steam cleaner to heat the glass over a period of time with the intention of taking the temperature within the void above 65 degrees which should spell doom for the mold.
Would anyone else have any other equally obscure ideas? Eggheads Assemble!
Thanks in advance.
The SLC has a glass feature by the C-pillar which is double glazed and sealed.
A lovely feature but it's generally well-known that these are a pig to remove, let alone pull apart to clean inside, which is why you see quite a few of these cars with flaking on the metal louvres inside the glass. Mine are in pretty good condition but one of them has a small amount of green mold in one corner which I'd like to attend to. You can just about see it in the picture above.
Given I don't want to remove these if I can possibly avoid it I think I have two options. Firstly a strong UV light pointing at the offending area for some time. The minus of this is that the glass will absorb most of the UV-C rays, perhaps more so as my car supposedly has UV-resistant glass as an option as it came from South Africa. My second idea is to use a steam cleaner to heat the glass over a period of time with the intention of taking the temperature within the void above 65 degrees which should spell doom for the mold.
Would anyone else have any other equally obscure ideas? Eggheads Assemble!
Thanks in advance.
Fair advice from all, thank you. I've little inclination to get involved in taking this car apart any more than needs be so I may leave it for now and see if a cold snap might kill it off this winter.
Took the car out towards Addlestone last night, staying in the Bridge Hotel in Chertsey so I could get it in at SS Motors nice and early and collect the same day. Nice little hotel by the river, and very friendly. Booked in for the belligerent sunroof cable, radio cage and inspection of the air-con system which I intend to get regassed with R24 in the coming weeks.
Had the pleasure of working on my laptop in the corner of an almost empty pub most of the day getting high on cola awaiting a call back after dropping the car off at 9am. I received said call at 2pm saying they needed to keep it for a few days as they were having trouble with the sunroof. I would like to bet they have come across the same issue as I did with the cable not coming out of the tube once unscrewed and they are waiting until someone resembling 'World's Strongest Man' Geoff Capes drops a car off so they can ask him to have a crack at it. So be it.
It wasn't until parking up at the hotel last night that I noticed the horizontal chrome line in the grill which is carried across in the current SLC models. Nice touch that. I really ought to pay more attention.
You may also notice orange tape on the indicator. A young girl by the name of Jennifer drove her bike into my car whilst playing in the place I store it in. Very apologetic note from her Dad leaving his mobile number...I was in a charitable mood so texted thanking him for his honesty and swallowed the fairly steep sum for a new indicator lens myself. it has been delivered and I'll fit it in a few days.
Also expecting a drive up to Leeds in the coming weeks, viral police allowing, as there is a brand new windscreen bought and paid for awaiting it's moment of stardom. No idea how long that has been sat biding it's time until a needy SLC showed up.
Took the car out towards Addlestone last night, staying in the Bridge Hotel in Chertsey so I could get it in at SS Motors nice and early and collect the same day. Nice little hotel by the river, and very friendly. Booked in for the belligerent sunroof cable, radio cage and inspection of the air-con system which I intend to get regassed with R24 in the coming weeks.
Had the pleasure of working on my laptop in the corner of an almost empty pub most of the day getting high on cola awaiting a call back after dropping the car off at 9am. I received said call at 2pm saying they needed to keep it for a few days as they were having trouble with the sunroof. I would like to bet they have come across the same issue as I did with the cable not coming out of the tube once unscrewed and they are waiting until someone resembling 'World's Strongest Man' Geoff Capes drops a car off so they can ask him to have a crack at it. So be it.
It wasn't until parking up at the hotel last night that I noticed the horizontal chrome line in the grill which is carried across in the current SLC models. Nice touch that. I really ought to pay more attention.
You may also notice orange tape on the indicator. A young girl by the name of Jennifer drove her bike into my car whilst playing in the place I store it in. Very apologetic note from her Dad leaving his mobile number...I was in a charitable mood so texted thanking him for his honesty and swallowed the fairly steep sum for a new indicator lens myself. it has been delivered and I'll fit it in a few days.
Also expecting a drive up to Leeds in the coming weeks, viral police allowing, as there is a brand new windscreen bought and paid for awaiting it's moment of stardom. No idea how long that has been sat biding it's time until a needy SLC showed up.
Edited by paulyv on Wednesday 23 September 17:46
Funnily enough the ad is for the same car with the cream interior which I posted on Ebay on the previous page. It was being sold by interior specialists DClass so I have no doubt it would be stunning inside. I can't see it going for that if I am honest...more's the pity.
This morning I put a nice shirt on and took it around a wet London. Being 40 years old it doesn't get charged the ULEZ fee - little victories. Heater is working fine. I have noticed that one aspect I originally thought of as an issue might actually be a feature. After standing in traffic, where the temperature rises just a little, the heater goes to full blast for a short time. Moving on again it will stop this. It only happens after very extended periods where the car is stationary and there is a pattern to it. After a bit of reading online it seems it is meant to do this, or someone else who has this 'feature' has been very persuasive in extolling that it came out the factory like this.
A few pictures below which will likely be the last of the year, leaving the car parked up opposite a wonderful new friend owned by a neighbour. Unsurprisingly the plans I had for this year have not come to fruition - no dash to Berlin, no Le Mans weekend and no trip to Scotland. We are hoping to go to the Cairngorms in a couple of weeks but will be taking the Sportage for the creature comforts. Had some good runs out though, and it's still running like clockwork. If I don't speak with any of you until the New Year I wish you all the best.
This morning I put a nice shirt on and took it around a wet London. Being 40 years old it doesn't get charged the ULEZ fee - little victories. Heater is working fine. I have noticed that one aspect I originally thought of as an issue might actually be a feature. After standing in traffic, where the temperature rises just a little, the heater goes to full blast for a short time. Moving on again it will stop this. It only happens after very extended periods where the car is stationary and there is a pattern to it. After a bit of reading online it seems it is meant to do this, or someone else who has this 'feature' has been very persuasive in extolling that it came out the factory like this.
A few pictures below which will likely be the last of the year, leaving the car parked up opposite a wonderful new friend owned by a neighbour. Unsurprisingly the plans I had for this year have not come to fruition - no dash to Berlin, no Le Mans weekend and no trip to Scotland. We are hoping to go to the Cairngorms in a couple of weeks but will be taking the Sportage for the creature comforts. Had some good runs out though, and it's still running like clockwork. If I don't speak with any of you until the New Year I wish you all the best.
He did - I think it was the SL with a hardtop. I wish I had an underling to deliver mine to me on a whim late at night.
It's certainly a 'V8' sound giving more than a hint at the power as it rumbles around town, mine being around 215hp I think. I have a non-standard exhaust but I am not sure it adds any volume, which in any case would be crass and most unagreeable. Most of the time it seems distant and undramatic until a car pulls up alongside at the lights and the low rhythmical tones of the engine echo back at you and you realise it has quite some presence. The same always happens when I pick the car up from the garage - I can hear it coming out of the unit long before I see it and am always taken aback that is what my car sounds like.
The odd thing is the revs are as if you were turning a dial on an old piece of hi-fit kit. They rise and fall tracking in the most oddly linear fashion directly linked to the loud pedal with no drama whatsoever until you hit a motorway on ramp and kick-down at which point it sounds not unlike an aircraft around you and the back squats noticeably too, although that may be my tired shocks. It's unlike anything else I have driven before, and as it feels a little remote I certainly think the car is more about the drive than the driving, as I once saw written. I took in plenty of London and was far more able to appreciate sights rather than be concerned with anything so tawdry as the rev counter.
The following video is the 500 which is not dissimilar although it doesn't give much indication of the impressive volume when accelerating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMlvTyPl2I0
Whereas this 380 gets drowned out by wind noise - he wants to change his sunroof seals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn_X1pz2VyE
Some seem to think it acceptable to mess with the way Mercedes designed gases to leave the vehicle for theatrical reasons. I might suggest the money would have been better spent on the fuel and ignition system on this particular model.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8hgwPAFgJM
It's certainly a 'V8' sound giving more than a hint at the power as it rumbles around town, mine being around 215hp I think. I have a non-standard exhaust but I am not sure it adds any volume, which in any case would be crass and most unagreeable. Most of the time it seems distant and undramatic until a car pulls up alongside at the lights and the low rhythmical tones of the engine echo back at you and you realise it has quite some presence. The same always happens when I pick the car up from the garage - I can hear it coming out of the unit long before I see it and am always taken aback that is what my car sounds like.
The odd thing is the revs are as if you were turning a dial on an old piece of hi-fit kit. They rise and fall tracking in the most oddly linear fashion directly linked to the loud pedal with no drama whatsoever until you hit a motorway on ramp and kick-down at which point it sounds not unlike an aircraft around you and the back squats noticeably too, although that may be my tired shocks. It's unlike anything else I have driven before, and as it feels a little remote I certainly think the car is more about the drive than the driving, as I once saw written. I took in plenty of London and was far more able to appreciate sights rather than be concerned with anything so tawdry as the rev counter.
The following video is the 500 which is not dissimilar although it doesn't give much indication of the impressive volume when accelerating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMlvTyPl2I0
Whereas this 380 gets drowned out by wind noise - he wants to change his sunroof seals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn_X1pz2VyE
Some seem to think it acceptable to mess with the way Mercedes designed gases to leave the vehicle for theatrical reasons. I might suggest the money would have been better spent on the fuel and ignition system on this particular model.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8hgwPAFgJM
Edited by paulyv on Tuesday 27th October 23:42
Happy 2021. I almost made it six months without anything to report. The car has been sat under cover since October but shortly will be reawakened with a brand new battery and taken out for a scrub and a drive. This year I am hoping to take it on a blast to Berlin or the South of France, but we shall see of course. I still have my tickets for the Members Meeting in October and it is certainly accompanying me.
Not so often that parts for this car can be found relatively cheaply, however a random search on Ebay a few weeks ago resulted in a box of goodies from the SL Shop being sold at a £300 discount, all unused. This means the timing chain is going to be swapped this month by my local handy mechanic. He is not an SL expert but perfectly intelligent and more than up to the task when done one step at a time. How-to guides printed and ready for reference. A service and transmission fluid change will also be done.
I STILL have a brand new windscreen waiting for me in Leeds having bought it in late 2019.
Hope your winters have been okay.
Not so often that parts for this car can be found relatively cheaply, however a random search on Ebay a few weeks ago resulted in a box of goodies from the SL Shop being sold at a £300 discount, all unused. This means the timing chain is going to be swapped this month by my local handy mechanic. He is not an SL expert but perfectly intelligent and more than up to the task when done one step at a time. How-to guides printed and ready for reference. A service and transmission fluid change will also be done.
I STILL have a brand new windscreen waiting for me in Leeds having bought it in late 2019.
Hope your winters have been okay.
Well it's been a while hasn't it.
The SLC has been sat for what appears to have been almost 2 years according to this thread. Lockdown and the rush to make up for lost time thereafter meaning my attention was elsewhere. The car was safe, off the road, and today I returned to it to see what happened when I put in a new battery and turned the key.
Was as if I hadn't been gone at all - started up after 2 seconds tuning over. Gave it time to warm up before moving, then drove straight to the car wash where 4 fellas did the works to it. 30 minutes later we were on our way from London to Peterborough and I've arrived, despite the rain. They really did build them didn't they!
Tasks for the coming couple of months. The timing chain, some matching grey and black velour door cards (took 4 years for those to come up on Ebay), and 4 nearly new tyres to fit.
The SLC has been sat for what appears to have been almost 2 years according to this thread. Lockdown and the rush to make up for lost time thereafter meaning my attention was elsewhere. The car was safe, off the road, and today I returned to it to see what happened when I put in a new battery and turned the key.
Was as if I hadn't been gone at all - started up after 2 seconds tuning over. Gave it time to warm up before moving, then drove straight to the car wash where 4 fellas did the works to it. 30 minutes later we were on our way from London to Peterborough and I've arrived, despite the rain. They really did build them didn't they!
Tasks for the coming couple of months. The timing chain, some matching grey and black velour door cards (took 4 years for those to come up on Ebay), and 4 nearly new tyres to fit.
Groan gone Alabbasi, thanks for pre-empting my having to look under the bonnet. I'll do the filter when I get time.
Got someone who does 'smart repairs' to panels quoting on the door scratch next week. When I have time and a dry day I will update on the process of changing the door cards over, back to originals. Should be fun.
Got someone who does 'smart repairs' to panels quoting on the door scratch next week. When I have time and a dry day I will update on the process of changing the door cards over, back to originals. Should be fun.
Good afternoon, evening or morning.
Well the car remains on the road and just peered from underneath the winter cover to see another spring. I keep saying I am going to sell but the stay of execution remains. 4 new (well, Ebay-delivered second hand but in great condition) tyres have been fitted and I spent all of Sunday finally changing the door cards.
I am sure anyone familiar with this thread has long since forgotten that at some point in the distant past my door cards were recovered with plain vinyl. Not very attractive at all. After several years of waiting and scouring the internet I managed to stumble across the exact grey velour door cards that matched the interior.
Doors open, spanners out and knuckles scraped, it's all done. As usual with this car, a task that at first appeared daunting turned out to be fairly straightforward...I only misplaced one screw which I will have to replace via the SL Shop.
Several hours later I was still driving around the fair roads of Rutland. What a pleasure it is to be out and about again.
Given it has not run for about 4 months it was issue-free, although sounded just a little tappety. A few more miles might sort that, but I will keep an eye, or ear, on it.
Things 'on the list'
A service and clean ready for the 2023 Goodwood Members Meeting in April
A little rust here and there to be addressed
A compound polish....it never did get one when that scratch was fixed before lockdown and I think it'd really benefit
More ponderings on how on this green earth I am going to get the replacement sunroof cable in without removing the headlining. That's a tricky one and I've had no pointers despite messages in the engineering section here and more specialist MB forums
Also I saw one of these on the road. Wow.
Well the car remains on the road and just peered from underneath the winter cover to see another spring. I keep saying I am going to sell but the stay of execution remains. 4 new (well, Ebay-delivered second hand but in great condition) tyres have been fitted and I spent all of Sunday finally changing the door cards.
I am sure anyone familiar with this thread has long since forgotten that at some point in the distant past my door cards were recovered with plain vinyl. Not very attractive at all. After several years of waiting and scouring the internet I managed to stumble across the exact grey velour door cards that matched the interior.
Doors open, spanners out and knuckles scraped, it's all done. As usual with this car, a task that at first appeared daunting turned out to be fairly straightforward...I only misplaced one screw which I will have to replace via the SL Shop.
Several hours later I was still driving around the fair roads of Rutland. What a pleasure it is to be out and about again.
Given it has not run for about 4 months it was issue-free, although sounded just a little tappety. A few more miles might sort that, but I will keep an eye, or ear, on it.
Things 'on the list'
A service and clean ready for the 2023 Goodwood Members Meeting in April
A little rust here and there to be addressed
A compound polish....it never did get one when that scratch was fixed before lockdown and I think it'd really benefit
More ponderings on how on this green earth I am going to get the replacement sunroof cable in without removing the headlining. That's a tricky one and I've had no pointers despite messages in the engineering section here and more specialist MB forums
Also I saw one of these on the road. Wow.
The car hasn't had this much tinkering in about 8 months.
Tyres changed, which I may have mentioned. The old ones were cracking, and not in a positive way. I've got some confidence to start pushing on through the Rutland and Northamptonshire roads at last.
About 2 years ago I came down one morning to find the left-front indicator lens smashed. A note kindly placed on the windscreen noted that someones daughter had cycled into it one Sunday. I hadn't the heart to reply and demand nearly £100 for a piece of orange plastic so swallowed the cost myself, but only now have had the time to fix it.
I didn't photograph the whole procedure but it's just a few screws. Don't drop the headlight - I sold a spare on Ebay for close to £500 in lockdown. Luckily the gasket held together as they alone are about £60.
Treated the old thing to some Redex before a spirited drive to Cafe Ventoux outside of Leicester. Might take the car out to Caffeine and Machine again soon but next week it's time for a compound polish courtesy of 'Scuffs n Buffs' near Corby in preparation for the 80th Members Meeting on the 18th. I'll be parked up at Lavant so do say hello if I am not asleep on the bonnet.
Next on the list after Goodwood - bodywork. I think some new wings are in order due to some rust bubbling through. Happy Easter all.
Tyres changed, which I may have mentioned. The old ones were cracking, and not in a positive way. I've got some confidence to start pushing on through the Rutland and Northamptonshire roads at last.
About 2 years ago I came down one morning to find the left-front indicator lens smashed. A note kindly placed on the windscreen noted that someones daughter had cycled into it one Sunday. I hadn't the heart to reply and demand nearly £100 for a piece of orange plastic so swallowed the cost myself, but only now have had the time to fix it.
I didn't photograph the whole procedure but it's just a few screws. Don't drop the headlight - I sold a spare on Ebay for close to £500 in lockdown. Luckily the gasket held together as they alone are about £60.
Treated the old thing to some Redex before a spirited drive to Cafe Ventoux outside of Leicester. Might take the car out to Caffeine and Machine again soon but next week it's time for a compound polish courtesy of 'Scuffs n Buffs' near Corby in preparation for the 80th Members Meeting on the 18th. I'll be parked up at Lavant so do say hello if I am not asleep on the bonnet.
Next on the list after Goodwood - bodywork. I think some new wings are in order due to some rust bubbling through. Happy Easter all.
Can't the weather make its mind up?
Took the car over to 'Scuffs n Buffs' in Corby yesterday and just collected it back. Some 2 years ago a cat got into the cover I place on it and the resulting claw holes let moisture in during a time when I could not go and visit the parking spot regularly. I took the cover off expecting a clean car only to see microbubbling on the bonnet, which I presume is a different alloy to the rest of the car which was fine.
The car needed a polish and when asking about the cost of a future bonnet respray the guy in Corby suggested it could likely be solved with a good polish. He was not wrong. 24 hours later I now have a mirror smooth car as it has all been 3-stage machine polished. The paint is not perfect on this car - it's certainly seen some professional spraying at some point during its lifetime but its now a whole heap better. So a recommendation for this business and we will be going back when I get round to fitting new front wings. I've found several online from SL Shop and also a place called Magnum Car Panels in Rochdale. Both of my front wings are bubbling through near the headlight and although they've not got much worse in the 6(!) years or so of ownership I'd like to get them sorted.
My four new and so very glamorous Semperit tyres feel good. I quite realise that I 'ought' to be putting classic Michelins on the car but at almost £350 or so a corner I really can't justify not spending that money on other areas of the car. This is after all the owner who melted the old varnish from the wood centre console in an oven whilst also making 4 spring rolls. The SLC never goes above motorway speeds and isn't the last word in 'on the limit' handling regardless of what it is shod with, so I am happy with these. They were hardly used and cost me, if I recall correctly, about £39 each delivered from ebay.
I've noticed an electrical gremlin in so much as one rear light is not working. Changing the bulb had no effect so someone is going to have to trace that once it gets warmer. I'll avoid night driving in the meantime.
So that's me ready for this weekend at Goodwood Members Meeting if only the cold stays away. I'll not be dragging myself out of bed and driving the 3 hours to an old windswept aerodrome if it looks to be a chilly weekend as I am still defrosting from that event back in March 2018 when it was snowing and my aircon was stuck on.
Currently deciding on whether I should spend the £50 and join the UK Mercedes Benz Club as I suspect their SL forum is a well of handy technical information...if anyone has any recommendations or otherwise do let me know.
Took the car over to 'Scuffs n Buffs' in Corby yesterday and just collected it back. Some 2 years ago a cat got into the cover I place on it and the resulting claw holes let moisture in during a time when I could not go and visit the parking spot regularly. I took the cover off expecting a clean car only to see microbubbling on the bonnet, which I presume is a different alloy to the rest of the car which was fine.
The car needed a polish and when asking about the cost of a future bonnet respray the guy in Corby suggested it could likely be solved with a good polish. He was not wrong. 24 hours later I now have a mirror smooth car as it has all been 3-stage machine polished. The paint is not perfect on this car - it's certainly seen some professional spraying at some point during its lifetime but its now a whole heap better. So a recommendation for this business and we will be going back when I get round to fitting new front wings. I've found several online from SL Shop and also a place called Magnum Car Panels in Rochdale. Both of my front wings are bubbling through near the headlight and although they've not got much worse in the 6(!) years or so of ownership I'd like to get them sorted.
My four new and so very glamorous Semperit tyres feel good. I quite realise that I 'ought' to be putting classic Michelins on the car but at almost £350 or so a corner I really can't justify not spending that money on other areas of the car. This is after all the owner who melted the old varnish from the wood centre console in an oven whilst also making 4 spring rolls. The SLC never goes above motorway speeds and isn't the last word in 'on the limit' handling regardless of what it is shod with, so I am happy with these. They were hardly used and cost me, if I recall correctly, about £39 each delivered from ebay.
I've noticed an electrical gremlin in so much as one rear light is not working. Changing the bulb had no effect so someone is going to have to trace that once it gets warmer. I'll avoid night driving in the meantime.
So that's me ready for this weekend at Goodwood Members Meeting if only the cold stays away. I'll not be dragging myself out of bed and driving the 3 hours to an old windswept aerodrome if it looks to be a chilly weekend as I am still defrosting from that event back in March 2018 when it was snowing and my aircon was stuck on.
Currently deciding on whether I should spend the £50 and join the UK Mercedes Benz Club as I suspect their SL forum is a well of handy technical information...if anyone has any recommendations or otherwise do let me know.
Edited by paulyv on Wednesday 12th April 22:11
Something called the 'Stilton Cheese Run' came to the town I currently live near this morning so I tagged along. Happens annually and apparently attracted around 170 cars this year. They congregate in Uppingham town square before driving through the countryside eventually ending up in Stilton.
Some striking vehicles on display despite the weather.
Surprising how small mine looks compared to something like the red Crayford Convertible.
Also some lovely roads to drive through around Rutland - the route today took the cars under the Welland Viaduct which I believe is the lonngest of its type in England at over a km long.
Some striking vehicles on display despite the weather.
Surprising how small mine looks compared to something like the red Crayford Convertible.
Also some lovely roads to drive through around Rutland - the route today took the cars under the Welland Viaduct which I believe is the lonngest of its type in England at over a km long.
Edited by paulyv on Sunday 23 April 17:42
New oil and transmission fluid in today. Also getting a quote on changing the front shocks which I purchased quite some time ago. The front left makes a bit of a thudding sound on bumps now so keen to get the shocks on to see if that helps matters. It came on quite suddenly, so could be something entirely different.
Not the most interesting of updates but that's car maintenance and upkeep for you. It's not all trips to the Cote d'Azur or Goodwood.
Not the most interesting of updates but that's car maintenance and upkeep for you. It's not all trips to the Cote d'Azur or Goodwood.
Edited by paulyv on Tuesday 25th April 22:51
No apology required. I love this stuff.
I regularly visit Berlin and the streets there are not a stranger to the classic Benz but you are quite correct, seeing one in a dry climate is a very different prospect.
Would love to buy a well-worn diesel w123 or similar out there and drive it back...I know it isn't that simple but what an adventure.
Front shocks have now been done due to the thudding I'd heard having been the top bolt which had sheared. My Nigel Mansell-like mechanical sympathy could barely tell the difference. The shocks were admittedly very old so I look forward to seeing how it feels with a pair of brand new Sachs absorbers on tomorrow. Let's put it down to the Merc being very well built rather than my lack of driving nousce shall we?
.
I may have a go at the rears but I have to figure out how to remove the rear door cards in order to reach the top bolt but other than that they don't appear too tricky.
I regularly visit Berlin and the streets there are not a stranger to the classic Benz but you are quite correct, seeing one in a dry climate is a very different prospect.
Would love to buy a well-worn diesel w123 or similar out there and drive it back...I know it isn't that simple but what an adventure.
Front shocks have now been done due to the thudding I'd heard having been the top bolt which had sheared. My Nigel Mansell-like mechanical sympathy could barely tell the difference. The shocks were admittedly very old so I look forward to seeing how it feels with a pair of brand new Sachs absorbers on tomorrow. Let's put it down to the Merc being very well built rather than my lack of driving nousce shall we?
.
I may have a go at the rears but I have to figure out how to remove the rear door cards in order to reach the top bolt but other than that they don't appear too tricky.
Edited by paulyv on Wednesday 26th April 23:00
A bit of waffle rather than an educational post but I have the car back from having had the transmission fluid changed. As hoped it I can tell it has made a difference with upshifts in the three-speed gearbox being much smoother.
Engine oil done and the tappet noise has been greatly reduced - kinda sounds like it should now, I guess...It's very rare that I come across another 450-engined SL that I can inspect for reference.
Finally the car is a much sharper steer with the new shocks on the front. I'll not compare it to when I drove it for several miles with one unattached but the old ones were clearly very soft. I'll take it along the snake-like roads of Rutland later this afternoon and appreciate the money I've spent.
German Autos of Uppingham seemed to know the type well and whilst not cheap I cannot fault them for their work and they were very friendly. They had lots of interesting stuff in and I got to look underneath a 'real' G-Wagon as opposed to one with tinted windows and an exhaust that runs down each side.
Engine oil done and the tappet noise has been greatly reduced - kinda sounds like it should now, I guess...It's very rare that I come across another 450-engined SL that I can inspect for reference.
Finally the car is a much sharper steer with the new shocks on the front. I'll not compare it to when I drove it for several miles with one unattached but the old ones were clearly very soft. I'll take it along the snake-like roads of Rutland later this afternoon and appreciate the money I've spent.
German Autos of Uppingham seemed to know the type well and whilst not cheap I cannot fault them for their work and they were very friendly. They had lots of interesting stuff in and I got to look underneath a 'real' G-Wagon as opposed to one with tinted windows and an exhaust that runs down each side.
Edited by paulyv on Thursday 27th April 16:47
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